Apparatus for conveying the speech of performers simultaneously and synchronously with the displaying of pictures.



I. POWERS.-

APPARATIIS FOR CONVEYING THE SPEECH 0F PERFOIRMERS SIMULTANEOUSLY AND SYNCHIIONOUSLY WITH THE DISPLAYING 0F PICTURES.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I5, I9l5. 1,280,542.

Patented Oct. 1, 1918 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- Inventor.- Ja/meylo we r5,

Witnesses; MW m w UNITED arraizurrusr01. convnriivdirrin SPEECH or v I SYNCHBONOUSLY WITH THE DISPLAYING or rrc'runns.

' To all whom it may concern:.

Be it known that I, J AMEs'PowERs, a citizen of the United States,*residinginNew York, in the county ofNew York and State 6 of New Yorl ,'have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Apparatus for Conveying the Speech of Performers Simultaneously and Synchronously with the Dis-,

ously with the displayment of pictures to an audience,the speech of concealed performers o elocutionists is conveyed to such audience, th speech of the performers or elocutionists synchronizing with the acts of the characters in the pictures being displayed.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide such an arrangement whereby the speech of the concealed performers is conveyed to the individuals in the audience through receivers which are separate an distinct for each individual.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a housing particularly adapted for the present arrangement in which the performers are located, from which housing the facility watch the pictures to guide them, and also watch the picture machineoperator, and yet the sound of their voices will not reach outside of said housing except through said speech convey ing mechanism.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the invention will appear fromthe subjoined detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure ,1 is .a fragmental perspective showing a portion of the orchestra floor of a theater and a portion of the stage on which the picture screen, the. performers booth and the picture machine operators machine are located.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with parts thereof shown in section.

In the embodiment shown, there is illustrated part of the interior of a theater hav-- 35 performers can with Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 15, 1915.

the invention is to pro- 'vide an arrangement whereby s1multane spaced from one another,

stance, the front wall of sfraTEs PATE T OFFICE.

. JAMESIBhWE-RS, or nEwYoaK, N. Y.

EERFORMERS SIMULTANEOUSLY AND Patented 0a; 1, 1918. Serial No. 2.362! 1 ing a stage 10 at one end thereof, and a plurality of chairs 11 forthe audience arranged in the usual manner.

On the stage there is formed a partition 12 having an opening 13 therein. shown in full lines in Fig. 2 while the outline thereof is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. EX-

cured a screen 1 1 here shown as provide with a cord 15 at each of its upper corners, which cords 15 are secured to attaching means 16 such as nails or the like fixed to the partition 12.

The arrangement here illustrated is of that class where the picture machine is positioned in the rear of the screen and the picture cast onto the screen from the rear thereof to be visible on the other side or front thereof. Thus in the rear of the screen 14. and on the stage 10 there is positioned a picture machine 17 of the usual construction.

In the present instance, there is positioned alongside of the machine 17 the housing for the performers which is designated as 18. This housing is of soundproof construction, having an inner inclosing side wall 19 and an outer inclosing side wall 20 the roof 21 likewise being composed of two members which are respectivelv secured to the inner an outer walls 19 and 20. The side of the housing which is disposed adjacent to the picture machine 17 and which is designated as 24 is provided with a double door 25 of the usual soundproof construction.

So that performers or elocutionists inside of said housing may watch the pictures and also watch the operator of the machine, suitable means are provided. In the present inthe housing adjacent to the screen-1 L whic is designated as 26 has both its inner and outer walls 19 and 20 provided with transparent members 27 and 28 respectively, of like size, and disposed one parallel to and in alinement with the other. These transparent members are usually of glass and through them the performers or elocutionists can watch the pictures displayed on the screen 14.

.Each of the member s composing the double door 25 are likewise provided with, transparent members 29 and 30 respectively, of like size, and disposed one parallel to and in alinement with the other, and also are usually composed of glass. Through tending across this opening 13 there is se- 5 these transparent members 29 and 30, the performers or elocutionists inside of the housing may with facility watch the'picture machine operator and the pictures projected upon the screen and consequently be guided accordingly. Obviously the transparent members'in both the front wall 26 and the door 25 are positioned at a level which is at the sight vision of the average height of persons.

For transmitting the speech of the performers or elocutionists to the audience while located in such housing 18, there are pro-' vided transmitters 31, 32 of the ordinary megaphone construction one at each side of the housing 18 and extending through the side wall thereof. The transmitter 31 is connected with a main conduit 33 for conveying the speech to one-half of the theater, which main conduit 33 extends down the aisle of the theater along the ends of the rows of chairs located on its one-half of the theater. To this main conduit 33, there are connected a plurality of subsidiary conduits 34, a subsidiary conduit 34 for each row of chairs 11, which subsidiary conduit 34 has connected to it a plurality of receivers 35, which may be of any suitable construction, in the presence instance shown as of the binaural construction.

The transmitter 32 is connected with a similar main conduit designated as 36 which in turn is connected with a plurality of similar subsidiary conduits designated as 37 each provided with a plurality of receivers 38, this transmitter 32 and conduit 36 conveying the speech of the performers to the.

other half of the theater.

In the operation of this arrangement,

there are generally two performers or elocutionists located in the booth 18, a lady and gentleman, the lady to take the female parts and the gentleman to take the male parts.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

I claimz- 1. The combination with a screen on which a picture is being displayed, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists to the audience of a moving picture theater simultaneously with the displaying of pictures; said apparatus comprising a sound-proof housing in which the performers are located in such manner as to have full view of the screen pictures; and speech conveying means for conveying the speech of the performers or elocutionists from said housing to the audience.

2. The combination with a screen onthe displaying of pictures, said apparatus comprising a sound-proof housing in which the performers or elocutionists are located; such performers or elocutionists having full view of the screen but being out of View of the audience; and individualspeech conveying means for conveying the speech of the performers or elocutionists from said housing severally to the individuals of the audience.

3. The combination with a screen on which a picture is being displayed, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists to the audience of a moving picture theater simultaneously with the displaying of pictures, said apparatus comprising a sound-proof housing in which the performers or elocutionists are located, transmitters disposed in said housing; speech conveying means connected to said transmitters; and receivers connected to said conveying means; the performers or elocutionists being out of the view of the audience, but having full view of the screen.

4. The combination'with a screen on which a picture is being displayed, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists to the audience of a moving picture theater synchronously and simultaneously with the displaying of ictures; said apparatus comprising a soun -proof housing in which the performers or elocutionists are located; transmitters disposed in said housing; conduits connected to said transmitters; and receivers disposed in the theater and connected to said conduits; the performers or elocutionists being out of the view of the audience, but having full view of the screen.

5. The combination with a movin picture theater having a p irality of chairs for the audience, and a sueen on which a pic ture is being displayed; of an apparatus for conveying the speech of the performers or elocutionists to the audience simultaneously and synchronously with the displaying of the pictures, said apparatus comprising a sound-proof housing in which the performers or elocutionists are located; transmitters disposed in said housing; receivers disposed adjacent to the chairs in said theater; and conduits connecting said transmitters with said receivers to convey the speech of the performers to the audience, the performers or elocutionists being out of the view of the audience, but having full view of the screen.

6. The combination with a moving picture theater having a plurality of chairs for the audience and a screen on which a picture is being displayed, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists to the audience simultaneously or synchronously with the displaying of pictures; said apparatus comprising a sound-proof housing in which the performers or elocutionists are ters disposed in said housing; binaural' receivers disposed adjacent to the chairs in said theater; and conduits connecting said transmitters with said recelvers to conveythe speech of the performers or elocutionists to the audience.

7 The combination with a screen on which a picture is being displayed, of an apparatus for onveying the speech of performers to the audience of a movin picture theater simultaneously with the isplaying of pietures,-said apparatus comprising a housing in which the performers are located, means in said housing whereby the pictures being displayed can be transmitted to the performers so that the performers can be guided thereby, and speech conveying means for conveying the speech of the per o'rmers' from said housing to the audience.

8. The combination with a screen on which a picture is'being displayed, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists to the audience of a moving picture theater simultaneously and synchronously with the displaying of pictures, said apparatus comprising a housing in which the performers or elocutionists are located; transparent members in the walls of said housing facing said screen so that the performers can watch the pictures on said screen through said transparent members and be guided thereby; and speech conveying means for conveying the speech of the erformers or elocutionists from said housing to the audience.

9. The combination with a screen on which a picture is bein displayed, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists'to the audience of a moving picture theater simultaneously and synchronously with the displaying of pictures, said apparatus comprising a sound-proof housing in which the performers or elocutionists are located, said housing being disposed behind said screen, the picture on the screen being visible from the rearthereof, transparent members in the side wall of said housing facing said screen through which the performers can watch the pictures being dis played, and speech conveying means for conveying the speech of the performers or elocutionists from said housing to the audience.

10. The combination with a screen on which a picture is being displayed and having a moving picture projecting machine disposed behind said screen, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists to the audience of the theater simultaneously and synchronously with the displaying of the pictures appropriate to the text; said apparatus comprising a sound proof housing in which the performers oi elocutionists are located; means in said housing whereby the pictures being displayed and the actions of the picture machine operator can be transmitted to the performers 'or elocutionists so that their voicingofthe text can be guided thereby; and speech conveying means for conveying the speech of the performers or elocutionists, from saidhousing to the audience.

11. The combination with a Screen on which a picture is being displayed and having a moving picture machine disposed behind said screen, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of the performers or elocutionists to the audience of a moving picture theater simultaneously and synchronously with the displaying of pictures, said apparatus comprising a sound-proof housing in which the performers are located, transparent membersin said housing whereby the performers or elocutionists in said housing can watch both the pictures being displayed and theactions of the moving picture operator to be guided thereby, and speech conveying means for conveying the speech of the performers or elocutionists from said housing to the audience.

12. The combination with a screen on which a picture is being displayed and having a moving picture machine disposed behind said screen, of an apparatus for conveyitig the speech of performers or elocutionists to the-audience, said apparatus comprising a sound-proof housing disposed behind said screen in which the performers or elocutionists are located; transparent members in the side wall of said housing facing the picture machine operator so that the performers or elocutionists can watch the actions of the operator and the picture on the screen, and be guided thereby; and means for conveying the speech of the performers to the audience.

13. The combination with a screen on which a picture is being displayed, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists to the audience of a moving picture theater simultaneously and synchronously with the displaying of pictures, said apparatus comprising a housing in which the performers or elocutionists are located so as to have full view of the picture projected on the screen; speech conveying means for conveying the speech of the performers or elocutionists from said housing to the audience, said housing being soundproof so that the speech of the performers or elocutionists can only reach the audience through said speech conveying means.

14. The combination with a screen on which a picture is being displayed, of an apparatus for conveying the speech of performers or elocutionists voicing a suitable text to the audience of a moving picture paratus comprising a housing in which the performers 01' elocutionists are located; and individual speech conveying means for conveying the speech of the performers or elo-' cutionists from said housing severally to the individuals of the audience; said housing being sound-proof so that the speech of the performers or elocutionists can only reach the individuals of the audience through said speech conveying means; and means for keeping the performers or elocutionists informed of the picture or pictures being projected simul aneously with the projection thereof. e

15. The combination with a picture or pictures being displayed, of an apparatus for conveying to the audience viewing such picture the speech of a living person or persons concealed from the audience in a soundproof booth from out of which the voicing is transmitted only through and by the speech conveying means, giving the text appropriate to the picture or series of pictures being displayed.

16. The combination with a screen on which a picture or series of pictures is being displayed .by projected light, of an apparatusfor conveying to the audience viewlng such picture the speech of a living person or persons concealed from the audience in a sound-proof booth from out of which the voicing is transmitted only through and by the speech conveying means, giving the text appropriate to the picture or series of pictures being displayed.

JAMES POWERS. 

